1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the creation of numerous planes within a uniform three dimensional (3D) space in which individual points are located by three coordinates. Specifically, when the points represent the units of some entity and when the location of two units in this uniform space are known, this invention generates a large number of two-dimensional planes, each of which include the two units and all other units that fall on that plane. Each plane in a set of planes derived from a particular pair of units is defined by a unique formula. Each unit on a plane is defined by its location in the solid, while its position relative to other points on the plane is preserved. This method is especially useful when the units have characteristics dependent on their location within the solid since the invention displays, organizes and manipulates the planes and individual units based on their location.
This arrangement is exemplified by existing color systems in which all reproducible colors are spaced at a perceptually uniform distance from one another. The location of each color also defines its lightness, its hue and its saturation. This invention applied to a uniform color solid generates numerous planes based on two colors selected and entered by the user. In this embodiment each plane in a set of planes represents a palette of colors and is defined by an equation. Some 40 to 200 palettes are generated and since the relationships between colors is preserved on the planes, each plane contains harmonious colors unique to that plane, in addition to colors on the axis defined by the two colors entered by the user. From the equations that define each plane, the invention derives the notation for all colors located on that plane. The notation specifies both that color's location in the color space and its appearance.
If the invention is applied instead to units in some other type of uniform 3D space, the principles above apply. Planes will contain an orderly array of related units and the units on each plane will be identified by their position in the solid and the qualities inherent in its organization.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior color selection system is disclosed by Beretta, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,978, entitled "Reference Color Selection System." The system provides a reference file of colorimetrically measured typical object colors in arbitrary groups and the interface allows the user to retrieve these colors as part of a color palette and to view and modify them. Other objects can be measured and entered in the reference file by the user and all colors in the reference files can be mixed to form other colors. Unlike the present invention, the Beretta palettes must be put together by the user and, although it is possible to create any color, the Beretta system does not systematically explore all color space. The present invention generates harmonious palettes from every region of color space and the user selects the one most suitable for a particular project.
Another disclosure by Beretta in "Functional Color Selection System," U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,212, has the user choose a key color after which colors can be selected that are analogous to, or complementary to, the key color. The user may also select lightness and chroma variations of the color key. The color theories on which this system is based, while useful in some cases, limits the user to adding colors that are either similar to, or strongly contrasting with, the key color. From any one point in color space only limited areas of total color space can be used. Furthermore, the colors considered to be complements are dictated by the arrangement of colors in the `uniform` color space on which the system is based. Although several color spaces are referred to as uniform, they are not identical so use of a different color space will result in somewhat different complements. In this Beretta system also palettes must be assembled by the user.
The Bauersfeld Master Thesis "ColorPalette: A Knowledge-Based System to Select Colors for a Palette" describes a system based on "principles of human computer interface design and color theory." This system includes an "advisory" system based on general concepts about which colors should be used together. The user can place colors that are provided with the system in a palette and add new colors to the palette, as long as the advisory system finds the relationship among the colors is acceptable. This limits the user to the colors that others, without any knowledge of the particular project, have decided are suitable. The placement and relative sizes of colors in an arrangement can completely change their apparent color and relationship to one another; therefore, it is not possible for any system, or expert, to foresee what colors are suitable for a certain situation. The present invention gives the user with a choice among palettes from all regions of color space, allows the user to select one or more, and then to alter the placement and relative size of individual colors in the palette to verify that they are suitable for the current project.
Barbara Meier in "ACE: A Color Expert System for User Interface Design" discloses another system based on color rules. ACE uses a table to encode relations between the object colors of standard items found in Apple Macintosh desktop environments, such as screen background, windows, icons. dialog boxes, cursors and menus. If it is necessary to introduce other object colors, the user selects and enters "properties that describe the item's physical and functional characteristics . . . " To do this ACE asks questions about objects and their relationships and users select answers from menus. This system addresses one problem inherent in Bauersfeld system by taking into consideration the size, placement and surround of objects before assigning them a color based on a set of rules. While this may work reasonably well in the restricted environment of a display screen, it is not applicable to most of the situations for which colors are needed. For the user, even in a controlled environment, the system is restrictive and complicated. Once the environment is expanded the questions and answers, and number of rules, would multiple exponentially.
The Bauersfeld and Meier systems are based on generalized rules that, while they may be of help to beginners in a simple environment, are not flexible enough for real world situations and would eliminate the unusual color combinations that are the trademark of outstanding design in any field.
There are several disclosures that provide a way to select or create individual colors. These colors can be put into palettes by the user, but these methods do not provide palettes representing all areas of color space nor is the user given any assistance in creating the palettes. Taylor, et. al., disclose in "Display-Based Color System," U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,853, a method for spacing and arranging the colors that embody a uniform CIE L.sup.*,u.sup.*,v.sup.* color space from among the colors achievable on a color display device. Individual colors can be selected from this uniform color space, just as colors can be chosen from the current Apple Color Picker on the Macintosh computer. The advantage of the Taylor system is that it is based on an internationally accepted and reasonably uniform color space and the colors are displayed in vertical hue planes. This arrangement allows the user to view each hue surrounded by variations of that hue in lightness and saturation. The system indicates on the plane which colors can be reproduced on the monitor and which can be printed by a specific printer. It does not deal with palettes of colors.
Searby, et. al, disclose in "Computerized graphics system and method using an electronically synthesized palette," U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,421, a method whereby the user can select a color and modify it by combining it in a mixing area with another preexisting color. In "Image retouching," U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,382, Lai, et al, disclose a method whereby the user selects a color from a list of preexisting colors after which a range of colors centered on the selected color are displayed. The user can select from this range to modify the original color.
Gabor in "Apparatus and method for color selection," U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,407, discloses a similar method for modifying a color. Bergstedt in "apparatus and method for modifying displayed color images," U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,286, discloses a method of modifying a color through use of a color menu and color modification keys. Braudaway in "Method for selecting colors," U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,075, discloses a method whereby a color is selected from an image based on how frequently it occurs in the image. Subsequent colors are chosen based on the frequency of their occurrence and similarity to previously selected colors. These methods allow a user to select individual colors, but do not address groups of colors.